To think you only properly enjoy the school holidays if you don’t work or are part time?

[Forky1]

Up until this year, I worked part time and found the school holidays much easier to juggle. I enjoyed days out with the kids and generally did not find it too stressful. Fast forward to this year and I am full time in a job with long hours and unpaid overtime and it has honestly been such a juggle. For the first time in years, I agree with people when they say 6 weeks is too long.

There's lots of parents who don't work at all who hate it when schools/nurseries are closed, so I don't think SAHP/PT working parents are necessarily any different.
It is easier for people with family who can help out, or if they get free holiday clubs/can wfh (though obviously that depends on the age/needs of your child).

We both work full time but love the school holidays. Term time is so hectic and the volume of school emails can be ridiculous- incessant admin of school Iife. They are older teens and it’s even easier now.

So is it that the holidays are too long, or is it that your job isn’t family friendly? The UK holidays are one of the shortest school summer breaks in the world.

Every year we get this school holidays are they too long debate, and I personally would much rather we had a ‘do employers need to be more family friendly?’ discussion.

I didn’t vote as have mixed views on your post.

I had to take sick leave at the end of June and this continued in to the summer holidays. Whilst this was initially difficult because I wasn’t feeling great, as I started to feel better I have to be honest and say it was wonderful being off with the kids all summer. Whilst I wish it was under better circumstances, for example, we were well off enough financially for me to be a SAHM, there is no denying that the holidays were significantly easier with me being at home while DH worked.

And they were not only more relaxing but also more fun.

I don’t feel they are too long though. Yes they are hard to juggle when both parents work (like us under normal circs) and more so when kids are younger, but I think the kids need the time off from learning.

This year it felt like they flew in tbh.

On the whole I feel that family’s and households function much better when one parent is at home - not something we’ve ever been able to afford. Or maybe we could have if we changed our lifestyle significantly. I know that when I am
off the house runs smoother, everyone is less stressed, we are more organised and the house is cleaner. And the children like a parent being at home and more available.

I used to work for a university and never found school breaks hard as I was off too. My kids still did some clubs and holiday camps just to give them the experiences etc but it was for fun and not through necessity.

Now I work All. The. Time including shift work and unsocial hours, and the provision of holiday childcare is both ridiculously expensive but also really not helpful in terms of the hours/days/weeks it covers.

The summer feels far too long. I've spent probably 3 times what I normally do on childcare, petrol and food and had to take some unpaid leave and make up time in the evenings etc.

I will be trying to recover financially for months and not one of us has had an actual break!

So yes, ime it was much more enjoyable when I had a different work pattern.

V difficult for full time working parents to juggle. I wouldn't shorten the summer hols though. I think mamy employers need to become more flexible and family friendly.

Summer holidays are the best time of year along with Christmas. I’m nearly full time and I often think the opposite, that SAHPs must find the holidays a huge slog. I took 2.5 weeks off work (spread across 4 weeks), my ex had the dc for 2 weeks and dc in holiday club for just under 2 weeks. It was lovely. Commute to work and holiday club easy as no traffic. No big deal if a couple of minutes late to holiday club. Kids don’t like school so less of a battle to get them out the door. Only one more day left 😩

I work full time, but I take a lot of my leave in the school holidays. I don’t take leave during term time and then moan about juggling work and kids in the holidays (not saying you do as your OP doesn’t say, but many do).

I am divorced and split the holidays with my exh - but there’s nothing stopping parents in couples from taking their leave separately to cover as much as possible for the hols- save for perhaps a week away in the summer together and whatever other bits of time are important to you.

Ive just come to the end of having a child at primary but always used holiday clubs up to and including the holidays just ending for kids at primary if I was working. And some hobby ones even when in the early part of secondary.

So I really like the holidays! The bits where I’m off with the kids are fantastic. And the other bits aren’t an awful juggle for the most part because I make sure they’re not.

DH and I both work FT but have generous annual leave, can WFH, and while we now have older kids we had easy access to decent holiday cover when they were younger. We would have the kids in childcare for about half the summer but I refused to feel guilty about that. They were at a (very relaxed) sports club so were with their friends, went swimming every afternoon, played outside in the morning so had a great time.

6 weeks with no financial assistance or free childcare (from relatives or similar) is too long.

I used to live in a quite deprived London borough and got the benefit of part subsidised summer club. It was 60% covered, so I had to pay about £15 per day 9am - 30pm (6 years ago) which was far more manageable than what many people now pay.

It wasn't means tested, it was available to those in a certain area. Really helped parents who were working. I’m not sure how people are supposed to pay for 2 kids at about £40 each per day. If they work an average income job.

It was a bugger to juggle FT work and childcare when the DC were younger (and needed childcare), but that was more because I do shift work (and there aren't any places that cover my start/finish times!). A lot easier now that the DC are older! I imagine that working PT may be easier, but I did love the days off I had when the DC are on school hols (and still do!). The thing I feel bad about is that now menopause has hit, I'm often so knackered that I need a day for resting after I've done a 13hr shift!

6 weeks is nothing for the kids. They rest for the first one, and get ready for the last one, leaves 4 weeks without school to actually enjoy the break.

If's far too short.

Instead of punishing the kids, we should have more and better set-ups for weeks when their parents are working.

I find parenting a massive slog during term time, it’s relentless. Ordering school dinners, making packed lunches, school runs, homework, school admin, kids clubs, sorting uniform, making sure they have everything they need every day, sorting wraparound care, kids parties, play dates, more homework, school events, making sure home in time for early bedtime so not too tired for school the next day, need to allow more time for work commute as busier in term time, juggling work as I only really take time off in holidays, supporting dc emotionally as neither of them are a fan of school, this term I need to do the secondary school application and go to open evenings, oh and did I mention more and more homework… give me the summer holidays any day.

It's too long from the perspective of working parents, but not for the children, or the school staff, who really need that break.

I think the real problem, is the standard 25 day holiday package. Even 30 days would make such a difference.

I'm fortunate in that although I still need to be in the office, things really slow down over summer and people coming in later and leaving earlier for camp drops offs and pick ups (or even just to get home and spend more time with your family while you can) in common.

Slightly off thread but I've seen a couple of posts on here about people working unpaid / no toil overtime hours. What kind of jobs are these? And why are you doing it?

The only parents I’ve known until now who liked the holidays were either teachers, married to teachers, or stay at home mums - mainly the type who find it so stressful/impossible to get out the door and get the kids to school on time 🙄

my kids are teens now and I was reflecting on this yesterday, it’s the first summer holiday that hasn’t felt like a massive horrible juggle of work with insufficient childcare.

they are too long in my view, my kids are totally ready to go back tomorrow, but hang in there OP. It does eventually get better

I work FT, but I try to make sure I get a decent amount if time off in the holidays. Lots of shorter weeks for example. I love getting more time with the kids.

Usually because they're well paid jobs where it's expected that you work the hours required to get the job done and there are performance-based bonuses.

@PersephonePomegranate Would the children and the teachers actually need to have a break that long if they had more regular breaks through the year though? A longer Easter break perhaps or 2 week rather than 1 week half terms.

I'm in NI and the kids are off for 8 1/2 weeks and the only week long half term is in the Autumn term, it's an insane approach.

Agree that 30 days hols for the parents definitely makes a difference though, I used to buy an extra 5 days at a previous job and it was so helpful.

Slightly off thread but I've seen a couple of posts on here about people working unpaid / no toil overtime hours. What kind of jobs are these? And why are you doing it?

Corporate jobs.... where they constantly have recruitment freezes and the general approach is to operate with as few staff as possible.

Why do I do it?

• the public sector equivalent of my job, with minimal hours etc and TOIL, pays literally half what I am paid on the corporate side, and they moved all the roles up North/to Wales where I do not live.
• I need the money to pay for house/bills etc
• I lead a small team. The alternative to me pulling some extra hours on an evening would be me shitting on lower paid staff to make them do it. No, I am not going to do that.

I work full time but mine are teenagers and I love the summer holidays - no stress getting them up and out for school, no school related admin or paperwork to deal with, fewer after school activities to manage (although they do continue their sports training over the summer)
I get more work done/find work much easier when the kids aren't at school!

My kids are SO ready to go back.

Its not like some magical nostalgic era (70s maybe?) where in the summer there'd be a load of similar aged kids roaming the neighbourhood having a great time building a go cart from an orange box & pram wheels.

I had some time off at home with mine & they were bored basically, eldest wants to see his friends (they were away/in childcare/with granny etc because parents all work). They like school, they'll be delighted to go back.

But no toil??!

Correct, TOIL isn’t a thing in well paid, salaried jobs

I work in a school and I find the 6 weeks too long.
It's too long to be out of a routine, I really do sympathise with parents who work full time and have to try and juggle 6 weeks of childcare.